Redesigned Chrysler Minivans a Year Out?

Such a timeline would likely indicate that the replacement for the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country will debut as early as next fall's Los Angeles Auto Show before hitting the market in early 2015 as a 2016 model year vehicle.

While Chrysler has remained mum on the situation, Canadian Auto Workers vice president Mike Lovric confirmed to the Windsor Star that the Windsor plant is "in position for new products" and that he is "waiting for an official announcement that could come any time now."

I realize that the Caravan will most likely be the one to get axed, but if Chrysler as a brand wants to move upmarket, they have to drop the minivan. No luxury manufacturer should have a minivan. Just make the appointments on the T&C on an upper-trim level for the Caravan, then it would run the whole gamut and they wouldn't risk losing as many fleet sales.
--------------------------------------------------------Am I the only one who thinks the MKC should have had suicide doors?

Chrysler has no plans (and never was) in the game with Cadillac, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar (that was "Emperials" job). they had models that Hung with them. Chrysler is Mainstream Premium brand such as Lincoln, Buick, and Acura. a Luxury Minivan (T&C) can work for Chrysler. Hell Mercedes is working on a new "V-Class" Minivan for crying out loud.

a prodution designed Chrysler "700C" town & Country minivan would look awseome.

Dodge can have the smaller wheelbase Minivan-like CUV. (between a Car and a Minivan ala the Mazda van)
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I always saw Chrysler as the premium brand, but some of their offerings from the last decade made me think they were moving downward to the mainstream brand, with the price (and sometimes quality) of some models equaling Dodge counterparts. I didn't know Mercedes had plans for a van; that sounds kinda cool, actually, but I have a feeling that some of the fleet customers who use these vans for hauling around dirty ol' equipment would most likely prefer a non-premium model they wouldn't feel bad about getting dirty. My main thing is for anything that's truly mainstream/competitive with mainstream makers, give it do Dodge. Anything sold as a Chrysler should be premium and reflect that in the quality, appointments, and pricing.
--------------------------------------------------------Am I the only one who thinks the MKC should have had suicide doors?

When you say premium it has nothing to do with price. especially Chrysler. they always built cars that performed and presented itself as a Premium car but for the everyday person. Case in point, the Chrysler 300.
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Getting rid of the chrysler minivans all together would be a huge mistake. They are consistently a top seller for chrysler. In 2012 they sold 193,020 caravans (us & canada), 111,474 town and country's and even more outside the us as the chrysler voyager (can't find the numbers, but you get my point). Chrysler needs a minivan, whether it be the Town & Country or the Caravan.
-----------------------------Formerly known as BluKompressorCurrent:2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport S 5A;2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport 2-dr, 6spd;2003 Dodge Neon SXT 1994 Ford F150 XLT 302 4x2

It's about time Chrysler redid their minivans. The Caravan and T&C look just about 15 years old next to minivans from other brands. I agree with TheCatholicBoat's idea about keeping the Caravan and making the T&C's luxury appointments a top trim level.

Chrysler has no plans (and never was) in the game with Cadillac, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar (that was "Emperials" job). they had models that Hung with them. Chrysler is Mainstream Premium brand such as Lincoln, Buick, and Acura. a Luxury Minivan (T&C) can work for Chrysler. Hell Mercedes is working on a new "V-Class" Minivan for crying out loud.

a prodution designed Chrysler "700C" town & Country minivan would look awseome.

Dodge can have the smaller wheelbase Minivan-like CUV. (between a Car and a Minivan ala the Mazda van)

I wouldn't even consider Chrysler a premium brand yet. The 200 sells for mainstream mid-size prices, the 300 is about on par with the Taurus and Impala, and the Town & Country is unbelievably discounted. My dealership sells loaded Touring-L's (the Town & Country's highest trim) at a discount of $8,500 before negotiations. Their MSRP is around $36,500, but they give them away for around $26,000. That's crazy.

Chrysler can become a premium brand, but the 200 and 300 have to go way upmarket. I would also recommend they axe the Town & Country. A premium brand hasn't had a van since Buick had the Terrazza, and look how much better they're doing since.

I get the impression that Chrysler is trying to climb back up to the premium market but it won't get there as long as they sell the T&C, especially if it is priced basically the same as the Caravan.
--------------------------------------------------------Am I the only one who thinks the MKC should have had suicide doors?

That's why axing the Caravan makes the most cents(sense, get it? ). By charging more than the Caravan, the T&C can command a higher price and not have to deal with lower trims impeding on the Dodge Caravan's toes. Plus, like Deq said where he works, selling mostly higher trim level vans shows that people care about content, not the price, of these minivans.
--------------------------------Something stinks and it ain't me. E-thugs: always looking for a fight, no matter how meaningless.I drank all of RL's rum.

Make everything the Town & Country offers a T&C trim level on the Caravan. Gives them many more options with the Caravan. Give Chrysler a 7-seat crossover that competes with the Enclave. I still maintain that dissociating Chrysler with the minivan, and leaving it to Dodge, will give Chrysler as a brand a real chance to make its other models command more money than mainstream competitors and truly establish itself as premium, which is where it as a brand should be.
--------------------------------------------------------Am I the only one who thinks the MKC should have had suicide doors?

Wait, how does 103K for the Caravan become more than 101K for the T&C? Just asking.If the T&C were gone, I feel that almost all of the sales currently going to it would go to the Caravan, including fleet sales. I still maintain that having the minivan in its lineup is depriving Chrysler of owning the prestige of having upscale models that it is trying to base its reputation on (300 and new 200) and is ultimately holding the Chrysler brand back.The people who buy Town and Countrys for hauling their kids would most likely buy T&C trim upscale Caravans if the situation arose.
--------------------------------------------------------Am I the only one who thinks the MKC should have had suicide doors?

TheCatholicBoat:Wait, how does 103K for the Caravan become more than 101K for the T&C? Just asking.If the T&C were gone, I feel that almost all of the sales currently going to it would go to the Caravan, including fleet sales. I still maintain that having the minivan in its lineup is depriving Chrysler of owning the prestige of having upscale models that it is trying to base its reputation on (300 and new 200) and is ultimately holding the Chrysler brand back.The people who buy Town and Countrys for hauling their kids would most likely buy T&C trim upscale Caravans if the situation arose.

but what about Dodges Image of sportiness?

a Car company can always be a Premium company with a Minivan. But for a company thats full of well handling, Sporty, Muscle, and Fun-To-Drive Cars (Dodge), a "Minivan" would not work. UNLESS that minivan is reimagined as a Short wheel base, case in point Mazda 5 minivan
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